Your Custom Text Here
Longboat Key, FL by Steve Sheppard (c)
I’m traveling this week to do some intensive training (love deep learning!!). That’s one reason why I’m repeating a post from July. The other is that I am getting close to a crucible moment watching policies and procedures consistently being bypassed, not followed, ignored completely, or “we just make up our own shit.”
Read more
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Northern Minnesota by Emmaly Monfort (c)
One of the questions my research partner and I ask our participants is “What ‘crucible’ moment led you to determine that there might be no other choice but to leave?”
Read more
Cave Point County Park, Door County, WI by Megan Klatt
I’ve had to chuckle. My post this week focuses on the importance of our words. Strangely, and hilariously, I keep seeing articles, posts, and comments on how “words matter…” I’m not a religious person, but I do love the way the Universe responds to things you start thinking or writing about a certain topic; it starts showing up everywhere.
Read more
The Appalachian Mountains by Barton A. Buechner
She was not taken seriously, she was not heard, and she did not feel valued (and could not trust the organization in any way after this situation). Her choice was easy after not being heard or valued: it was time to leave the company.
Read more
Lake Tahoe at Incline Village, NV by Jennifer M. White
Why is it so hard to talk about the tough stuff in our organizations? Why is it that I see leaders constantly painting a rainbow picture of their leadership and organizations when it’s more like a toxic waste dump?
Read more
An Afternoon at the Beach by Marya Wilson
I have had some very insightful conversations the last week about procedures as contracts. I define procedures as anything your organization uses to guide the organizational processes. Some organizations define them as policies, SOP’s, procedures, etc. Some talked about how procedures are boring. This was one was my favorite because they weren’t wrong, sometimes procedures are boring, but oh so necessary.
Read more
Longboat Key, FL by Steve Sheppard
Well, after the last few weeks of maneuvering poor processes, I am going to update my quality management course for the fall semester. Whew! I appreciate the frustration level though because it has helped me think deeper about one of the themes my partner and I keep coming across in our research on organizational exit, betrayal of trust.
Read more
Montana Mountains: Peace and Courage by Julie Furst-Bowe
I was having a conversation with a fantastic colleague (and friend!) recently. I was incredibly frustrated with a string of events that were creating some serious problems for a project I am working on. My colleague listened without judgment and helped me look at all sides of the situation and try to approach it from a more positive perspective. I love her for that.
Read more
Sunset in Santa Barbara by Marya Wilson
Psychological contracts are those unwritten agreements in how we will treat each other (at least the 30K foot definition). I fully believe this is the most important contract we can shake hands on.
Read moreAs the semester winds down, this is usually crunch time. Most of us on campus are pulling our hair out, drinking coffee by the gallons, and grading papers by the billions (ok, an exaggeration, but it’s close). This semester is no different, except this last week was a blast.
Read moreThe research and writing I do focuses on the many aspects of trust. Trust is crucial to any relationship, personal or professional. I had a very fun week in that so many of the discussions I had revolved around the trusted leader, admired and appreciated.
Read moreThis last week has been one surprise after another. A lot of surprises were not-so-fun, but even “not-so-fun” is adventurous. Bring it! The one surprise I appreciate the most is several of my clients talking about the human side of leadership.
Read more
When I think about betrayal in the research sense, it’s clinical, scientific, and even fascinating. When I think about the betrayals I’ve experienced in my life, the word evokes strong emotions.
Read more
